MV Dara

Career
Name:	Motor Vessel Dara
Owner:	British-India Steam Navigation Company
Operator:	Capt. C. Elson
Port of registry:	London
Route:	Bombay, Basra and Kuwait
Builder:	Barclay Curle & Company, Glasgow
Yard number:	711
Launched:	December 17, 1947
Fate:	Sunk
General characteristics
Tonnage:	5030 tons
Length:	398.7 feet
Propulsion:	Doxford diesel 1 x 5 cyl 4200 bhp
Speed:	14 knots
Crew:	132

The MV Dara was a Dubai based passenger liner, built at a shipbuilding yard in Scotland during 1948. The vessel travelled mostly between the Persian Gulf and the Indian subcontinent, carrying expatriate passengers who were employed in the Gulf States.

The MV Dara sank in the Persian Gulf on April 8, 1961, as a result of a powerful explosion that caused the deaths of 238 persons from the 819 registered persons on board at the time of the voyage, including 19 officers and 113 crew. Another 565 persons were rescued during an operation by a British Army tank landing craft, a number of ships of the Royal Navy, and several British and foreign merchant ships.

Sinking

The vessel had sailed from Bombay on the 23rd May on a round trip to Basera, calling at intermediate ports. It had arrived at Dubai on the 7th April and was unloading cargo, embarking and disembarking passengers when a violent storm of wind and rain prevented further work. It was decided by Capt. Elison to take the ship out of harbour to ride the storm. Due to the conditions there had not time to disembark persons on board who did not intend to travel, including relatives and friends seeing off the passengers, cargo labourers and various shipping and immigration officials.

At approximately half past four in the morning on the 8th of April, 1961, a large explosion occurred to the port side of the engine casing between decks, passing through the engine bulkhead and two upper decks, including the main lounge. The explosion had occurred as the MV Dara was returning to the harbor and started a series of large fires. The explosion having disrupted all electrical, fire-water and steering systems, the fire spread rapidly, aided by the gale force winds of the storm, and the crew opted to evacuate the ship.

The launching of the lifeboats was chaotic in the rough seas, with one witness describing a lifeboat overcrowded, overturning in the waves. A second lifeboat had been damaged earlier during the storm, this ailing lifeboat would later be intercepted by the lifeboat of a Norwegian tanker. At the time there were several ships nearby and aid was given by British, German and Japanese vessels also.

In the days following, three British frigates and a US destroyer sent parties on board the MV Dara to extinguish the fires and the vessel was then taken in tow by the Glasgow salvage vessel Ocean Salvor, but sank at twenty minutes past nine on April 10, 1961.

The explosion is theorized to have been caused by a deliberately placed explosive device, planted by an Omani rebel group or individual insurgents. A British Admiralty court concluded, more than a year after the disaster, that an anti-tank mine, "deliberately placed by a person or persons unknown", had "almost certainly" caused the explosion. This would probably have been related to the Dhofar Rebellion. However, no forensic evidence has ever been provided proving a bomb was the cause.

The wreck sits at a depth of 21 metres (69 ft).

References

• "Tragedy and triumph (page 1)". Father of Dubai. http://213.132.44.227/english/dubai/fatherofDubai_triumph1.asp. 
• "SINKING OF THE M.V. "DARA"". Hansard. 11 April 1961. http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/lords/1961/apr/11/sinking-of-the-mv-dara-1. 
• "mv DARA built by Barclay Curle & Company Glasgow". Clydebuilt Ships Database. http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=4421.  (with photo)